Chapter 1746
Kieran didn’t see it that way. “Of course, it benefits me. Look at you! You came back, didn’t you? Regretting not giving me that 40,000 yet? You could’ve saved us both the trouble if you’d just handed it over earlier.”
“You-”
“Now it’s 100,000,” Kieran interrupted, reclining smugly in his wheelchair. “You want the trending posts gone, don’t you? Pay up-100,000, not a penny less. Otherwise…” His voice dropped, laced with menace. “I’ve still got a few things up my sleeve.” The blatant threat made Karina’s hands tremble, her voice quivering as she spoke. “One hundred thousand? Wasn’t it forty just a few days ago?”
Kieran sneered. “That was the old price. It’s 100,000 now, take it or leave it.”
Karina could taste blood in her mouth. Her lips had been bitten raw without her noticing. Rage and utter disappointment overwhelmed her.
This was her family. Twenty years of being with them, and all they had ever done was take. They had given her nothing in return.
Her mind wandered to the happy, harmonious families she occasionally saw-fathers kind and caring, mothers warm and supportive. Why couldn’t she have that? What had she done to deserve this?
“I’m not giving you anything. Forget it,” Karina snapped, her tone cold and resolute. “If you won’t take down those posts, I’ll find another way. Worst case? I’ll take it to court. Let’s see how you explain where all the money I’ve given you over the years has gone.” Karina was no pushover. Even the mildest soul has a breaking point, and she had reached hers.
Mr. Stone’s hand shot out, hurling a cup at her feet. It shattered with a sharp crash, shards flying everywhere. One jagged piece nicked her leg, and a thin line of blood began trickling down her shin.
Karina winced at the pain, momentarily lightheaded.
Mr. Stone jabbed a finger at her, his face livid “We took care of you for twenty years, and this is how you repay us? Fine, go ahead, sue us! But I’ll make sure you don’t get out of
this house alive.”
Karina steadied herself despite the pain. Her leg throbbed, but she refused to show weakness-not in front of them. She pressed down on the bleeding wound, straightened her back, and faced him head-on. “Then watch me,” she said firmly, taking a step toward the door.
“Don’t you dare!” Mr. Stone roared.
But Karina didn’t falter. Two steps in, Mrs. Stone grabbed her arm, stopping her.
Karina turned, her eyes misting with unshed tears. “Mom, not you too,” she said, her voice cracking.
Mrs. Stone looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “It’s for your own good,” she said meekly. “You know how Kieran is. If you leave like this, he’ll only get worse. I can’t control him it’s better to just give him what he wants-it’s only 100,000”
Karina stared, incredulous. “Only 100,000?” she fumed.
Mrs. Stone continued, as if reasoning with her. “You’ve got a good job now at the hospital. If you don’t have that much, you can
borrow it. You’ve always found net
a
way before. Back when you weren’t
even working there, you managed to give us so much.”
Karina’s heart sank. Whatever lingering affection she had for her family shattered. She shook off Mrs. Stone’s grip, her voice trembling with anger.
“One hundred thousand? Do you even understand how much that is? Do you have any idea where the money I gave you before came from?”
Tears welled up in her eyes, but her voice grew steadier, sharper. “It came from skipping meals. Eating once a day, saving every penny so I could send it to you!”